+ 
1801. | 
that the frequent difputes which occur 
relative to tythes, muft render it a cir- 
cumftance much to be wifhed, both by 
clergymen and occupiers of land, that this 
tax on induftry fhould be abolifhed, and in 
lieu of it, 2 portion of land in every pa- 
rifh be fet afide exclufively for the fup- 
port of the church. The execution of a 
{cheme of this kind, as it would have a 
beneficial effect on agriculture, would, at 
any period, be defirable, and particularly 
fo at the prefent. 
Your’s, &c. 
Nov. 7, 1800. Re WZi 

To the Editor of the MA onthly Magazine. 
Sir, : 
S we may now, from the report of 
the Committee of the Houfe of 
Commons, be pretty well affured that, 
however dear grain may be, yet we fhail 
not be abfolutely /izrved, before next har- 
veft; we may, with more complacency, 
confider the fubject of /carcity, both as to 
its actual exiftence, its caufe, and the pro- 
bable means, in fome meafure, of counter- 
acting its effects. 
As to its exiftence, the report above 
alluded to fufficiently proves it, by al- 
lowing that the crop is 1-4th lefs than the 
average. 
As to the caufe, we muft undoubtedly 
in a great meafure attribute it to the 
very wet wheat feeding we had laft year, 
which rendered it impofiible to fow many 
of the ftrong, and in general moft pro- 
ductive lands; and on thofe which were 
fowed of this defcription, the very heavy 
rains fo completely faded the ground, as to 
make it impoffible for a great quantity of 
the feed to vegetate; this, added to the 
wet harveft, is fully fufficient to account 
for the prefent fcanty fupply and high 
price of good dry corn. After the winter, 
the markets will, doubtlefs, be more abun- 
dantly fupplied with corn of fome quality 
or other, as much cf the grain which was 
wetted, cannot be threfbed till after a froft ; 
moreover, it is the cuftom of farmers to 
threfh little elfe but wheat till winter, that 
the ftraw may be kept for the ftock, to a 
time when nothing elfe is to be had. As 
to the abiurd notion that the fearcity is 
caufed by the farmers themfelves, it is 
hardly worth noticing. I will however 
juft afk, if they have it in their power to 
make an artificial fcarcity, how happens 
it that they do not do fe when their crops 
are particularly abundant? as by fo doing 
their profits muft be great indeed. But I 
will maintain, that there is no clafs of men 
who feel the prefent cvil more than the 
farmers themfelv.s; for they have not 
only to bear the obloquy of cauiing it— 
Ox the Scareity—Farmers Expences. 
517 
they are not only held up as obje@s of 
popular hatred, but they too often fall 
the victims of its fury, (witnefs the many 
cora-ricks burnt lately), but—further, 
there is not any bufinefs in the kingdom, 
which, in proportion to the capital em- 
ployed, pays more to the fupport of the 
poor. I think I may fafely fay, there are 
few parifhes, where it will cof lefs this 
year than a-5ths of the rack-rent for 
peor’s-rate, or about 74 per cent on the ca- 
pital employed; I fpeak of arable farms. 
On. many of the ftrong lands, where in 
fuitable feafons, and with proper cultiva- 
tion, the average crop has been from 25 
to 30 bufhels per acre, I 4xow, not only 
from my own experience, but from the 
undoubted teftimony of others, that the 
average this year will not amount to more 
than 12 or 13 buthels per acre. When 
from this quantity we take five bushels, 
for feed and bread for the family, but 
very little is left for market. In order to 
fhew in a more convincing way that fuch 
a year as this is far from profitable to the 
farmer, I have only to make the follow- 
ing calculation, which will apply to all 
arable farms of 300l. per ann.* and under, 
for in thefe there are generally a great 
many men fervants kept in the honfe+t, 
which will account for my otherwife great 
allowance of from two to two and a half 
bufhels per acre for bread, &c. We will 
begin with the prefent year, and the prices 
in this neighbeurhood: fay 
12,3 bufhels of wheat per acre, 
at 20s. per buthel =i Vf.12 10, 0 
Deduct 5 bufheis for feed and 
flour - - = 5.0.0 

——e—s 
Penacre. 7.0 e 

with labour at an advanced price, and the 
poor’s-rate increafed 3 or 400 per cent. 
or from 2s. and 2s. 6d. to 8s. and even 
10s. in the pound. 
In a fruitful year the account may be 
{tated as follows: 
25 buthels of wheat per acre, 
at 8s. per bufhe - P&ae) Xa) (0) 
Deduct ss. buihels as above 2 OKO 
fad OO 

with labour and poor’s-rates moderate. 
I have no fear of fxomitting the above 
caleulation ig any one converiant with the 
farming bufinefs. 
* Or, perhaps, 300 acres aid under. 
+ And itis aNo the cuftsin for all the 
labourers to have their me/s before the 
go to work; this confils of a wooden 
diih filled with oread aud boiling milk 
poursd on it, 


As 
